St. Quirinus-Minster

The St. Quirinus Minster is the most important structure in Neuss in terms of art, history and urban development and is one of the Romanesque treasures of the Rhineland. It is a three-naved, late-Roman vaulted galleried basilica with a high westwork, transept and trefoiled apse over a five-naved crypt. The westwork with its square central tower is richly adorned. The octagonal crossing tower supports a baroque dome and a statue of St. Quirinus.

In the fourth century there was a Christian burial ground here. In memory of the dead a "Memoria", a Memorial Chapel, was erected. Whether St. Quirin directly came from here is unknown.

The first house of God on today´s site dates from the Carolingian period. In the ninth century the first church was replaced by a three-naved basilica over a three-naved pillar crypt, which was expanded by two further naves in the 11th century. The building was owned by the abbey of Benedictine nuns, which was established in 950 A.D. The abbey was converted in 1179 into an aristocratic canoness foundation, which erected the monumental new building at the beginning of the 13th century.

Over the course of time the structure has undergone significant changes. The greatest change to the outward appearance was caused by a fire in 1741 as a result of a lightning strike. During the restoration up to 1747 the pointed crossing tower was replaced by a baroque bell-shaped curved roof with a statue of St Quirinus and the high western tower by a low pyramid roof. After secularisation the foundation buildings with the cloister, which were located on the northern side of the church, were demolished in 1804. The Minster became a parish church. In the 19th and 20th centuries restoration work was again carried out. Between 1881 and 1990 the eastern section with cross gables, columned galleries of arcades of the apses and four corner towers were reconstructed.

Angled towers and columned galleries of arcades had been removed in the 18th century. In 1944 the eastern conch was destroyed by a flying bomb. The rebuilding work was carried out up to 1953. From 1988 to 2006 the interior and exterior of the Minster were fundamentally refurbished and restored.

Author: City Neuss
Last changed on 23.06.2023

Categories:
Architecture » Public Buildings » Religious